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Welcome to my place in the blogosphere!
feel free to explore the Flight Deck and check out my books and website.
Then fasten your seatbelts, sip a glass of something sparkling and let's chat awhile!
I hope you'll stop by again for guest authors and spotlights from time to time.

Beloved Enemy joined Starquest and Children of the Mist to continue the Destiny Trilogy and I'm thrilled to announce was shortlisted for the R.N.A. RoNA Awards 2017, awarded 2nd Runner up in the RONE Awards 2017 and was the winner in the SF/Fantasy category of the 'Best Banter Contest'.

Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts

Tuesday 13 July 2021

The Jade Talisman - Spotlight, Guest Post and #Giveaway

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This is my post during the blog tour for The Jade Talisman by Alanna Mackenzie. In The Jade Talisman a band of rebels explores a wild, desolate island beyond the borders of an Empire controlled by artificial intelligence, in the hopes of finding animal spirits to join the battle against their oppressive rulers.  I'm currently reading the first book The Jade Rebellion  and will be reviewing it and The Jade Talisman soon, so watch out for the reviews on this blog as well as on Amazon and Good Reads.

This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and the tour runs from 12 till 18 July. You can see the tour schedule here.

I hope you enjoy the post, especially the guest post from the author, and dont forget to enter the Rafflecopter contest if you live in the U.S. or Canada.

The Jade Talisman book cover
The Jade Talisman (The Jade Chronicles #2)
By Alanna Mackenzie
Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Age category Young Adult
Release Date: 30 March, 2021

Blurb:
A talisman. A song. A gift that bends time, and alters the course of destiny itself.

It is the year 2762 in the Empire of Khalendar, and AI Masters rule the civilized world, striving to crush all dissent. But they have not yet managed to quell the Jade Rebellion or its leader, Walter Saltanetska. The rebels have sailed beyond the Empire’s borders to the infamous isle of Vei’arash. Their mission is to find animal spirits exiled long ago by the AI Masters, and return them to the mainland. With any luck, the spirits will strengthen the fading magical powers of their allies, the Western Mages, and join the battle against their oppressive rulers.

As the rebels plunge deeper into the jungle, physical laws are upended. The plants and animals of the rainforest are inextricably linked to divine beings. An ancient shaman-god entrusts Walter with the Jade Talisman, an enchanted gemstone that warps the basic rules of time and space.

The Talisman allows Walter to gaze into a mesmerizing labyrinth of future possibilities. But the visions it offers up are troublingly dark, giving Walter insight into the potential fates of himself and his loved ones. This gift proves to be a crushing burden, and Walter desperately longs for an ordinary life. But there is no going back…

The gripping sequel to The Jade Rebellion, The Jade Talisman explores whether nature and spirituality are capable of persevering in a world dominated by the cold logic of artificial intelligence.

The Jade Talisman – Excerpt

When Walter arrived at the river, the first thing he noticed was the drying racks the villagers had laid out along its banks. The water level was high, and the river churned swiftly across the landscape, slicing through the monotony of the night’s blackness like a serpent winding across the dark earth.

Walter sat down on a boulder near the river’s edge to admire the grace and power of the waterway. Before long, tears sprang to his eyes as he realized he missed Christopher and the days they had spent training for battle together in Tsei’watu. It was not surprising that those memories were returning to him now, by the river—it was near the edge of a stream that he had bonded with Christopher, first learned to spear a fish with his balayan, and discovered that Christopher was Elaine’s brother. Christopher felt like a brother to Walter, and in that sense reminded him of Jonathan. Although Walter had recently reunited with Jonathan, Walter felt as though the new Jonathan was a different man, a stranger whose humanity had been cruelly eradicated by the AI Masters. In Walter’s mind, the old Jonathan of his childhood was a hero who had symbolized the resilience and indomitability of the human spirit. This, of course, rendered the brainwashing all the more heartbreaking.

Walter unexpectedly found himself weeping near the river’s edge, his mind tormented by a slew of worries about the past and the future. Over a year ago, Elaine had been captured by the AI Masters and he had set out in a rowboat to rescue her. Walter had then chanced upon a seer in a tavern who revealed that his brother—whom he had long believed to be dead—was actually alive. His quest had therefore begun with a basic objective, finding his loved ones, and he had gradually acquired new goals and aspirations during the course of his travels.

However, he regarded his mission so far as a failure. Walter had set out to find Elaine, but after reuniting with her he had not been able to re-kindle their relationship—and now, he had slept with another man’s wife, which would no doubt set back his efforts. Walter had also set out to find his brother, but instead he had encountered a troubled stranger whom he could barely relate to anymore. He had set out to rebel against the AI Masters and to lead the Jade Rebellion to victory, but now he was wasting valuable time on this potentially futile quest. Instead of fighting the AI Masters, Walter was wandering aimlessly through the untamed wilderness in search of animal spirits—that likely did not even exist—and a half-crazed shaman-god. The young man shuddered with grief as he realized that the AI Masters were readying their bulldozers to destroy Elaine’s village to make way for the massive diamond mine they wanted to build, and he was helpless to do anything from this small, isolated island in the middle of the Hapakay Sea.

Even if the animal spirits are real, Walter thought, what chance do they stand against the technological might of the AI Masters? The AI Masters had been victorious against those spirits in the past, when they had succeeded in quelling the uprising of the southern tribes and their shamans. Since then, the AI Masters had grown exponentially in wealth, power, and influence.

As tears blurred his vision, Walter spotted a curious figure emerge from the shadowy rainforest. At first, he thought that it was simply the moonlight reflecting off of a nearby rock, but when Walter wiped the tears from his eyes the figure came into sharp relief.  It was an antlered stag, with a coat that was an ethereal, luminous shade of bluish-white. Walter squinted in confusion at the apparition, attempting to discern whether or not it was real as his heart thudded in his chest. Although he could not tell for certain, Walter suspected that it was the same stag he had slaughtered several days ago with Ishkode, which had been carved and dried on these riverbanks. Walter chuckled as he realized how absurd that thought was; it departed from every natural and physical law known to mankind. And yet, he instinctively sensed that his suspicions were correct—contrary to logic or reason, the animal that now stood before him was the same one he had slain.

The ghostly stag came closer. Walter watched it in fascination as the phantom crossed the river with ease, wading confidently through the rushing waters. When the spirit was so close to him that Walter could touch it, he saw that it had the exact same markings and antlers as the slain stag, and even had a wound in its neck where Walter had slaughtered the creature with Ishkode’s knife.

When Walter reached out to place a hand on the stag’s back, he did not touch the warm, firm body of a living animal but a cold, ephemeral substance that made the young man shiver. The stag did not move, and simply continued to gaze at Walter with wide, black orbs of eyes which were so dark in contrast to the surrounding white luminescence that they looked like holes carved into a star. Walter’s memory was jogged by the sight, and he realized that the stag’s piercing black eyes were uncannily similar to those of the seer he had met in the Jamestown tavern many moons ago. When Walter touched the spirit, a whirlwind of thoughts, emotions, and memories suddenly flooded his mind, and he became overwhelmed with an intense yet indescribable sensation which could not quite be categorized as either pleasure or pain, but was equally poignant. For a fleeting instant, Walter was immersed in the stag’s world; he was temporarily capable of experiencing the vibrant richness of each and every memory the creature had acquired during its life on Earth.


Links:
- Goodreads
- Bookbub
- Amazon ebook
- Amazon paperback

First book in the series discounted!
The Jade Rebellion
“A reckoning. A rebellion. The worlds of artificial intelligence and ancient magic collide.”

The Jade Rebellion by Alanna Mackenzie is the first book in The Jade Chronicles series. It’s currently discounted. You can get the paperback for only $7.99 and the ebook for only $2.99!

Links:
- Amazon ebook
- Amazon paperback


Alanna Mackenzie
About the Author:
Alanna Mackenzie lives in Vancouver, Canada. She holds degrees in History, French studies, and Law from the University of British Columbia. An environmentalist at heart, she believes in using the law as a tool for social and environmental change. When she is not pursuing that passion, she can be found brainstorming the next chapter in her novels, playing Irish fiddle tunes on the violin, and hiking West Coast trails.

You can find and contact Alanna Mackenzie here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Jade Talisman. Prizes are US and Canada only. These are the prizes you can win:
- 3 winners win paperback copies of both The Jade Rebellion (book 1) and The Jade Talisman (book 2)
- 2 winners win a paperback copies of the Jade Rebellion (book 1)

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Jade Talisman banner

Guest Post: 

Greatest Source of Inspiration for The Jade Chronicles

There are so many differeuitous technology and surveillance capitalism. While my novels project a dystopian future in which AI Masters control information flows and dictate how human societies operate, this imaginary world is not far off from our own. In my novels, the AI Masters aim to control, understand, and subdue humans with the aim of profiting themselves and advancing their own nefarious agenda. In our modern society, technology companies harness our personal data and continually monitor us in order to advance their own darkly utopian vision of a better future. We remain trapped in the web of surveillance capitalism because we find that it is comfortable to do so; it benefits us, by making life more convenient and fulfilling our needs for material comfort and social connection. Similarly, the humans in Crystal City live in a world in which their every material need is met, where they enjoy glamorous social lives and have access to every new technological gadget imaginable.

However, this rosy picture is undergirded by a profoundly disturbing reality – the reality that their superficially perfect lifestyles are made possible through the conquest of other lands and peoples, and the ravaging of the natural environment. The parallels with our modern society, in which smartphones and computers require the mining of rare earth metals, often made possible by child exploitation and the destruction of ecosystems, are difficult to ignore.

And it is not just the external world that suffers by the prevalence of technology in our daily lives, it is also our inner selves. Nicholas Carr has stated in his book The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, that “to remain vital, culture must be renewed in the minds of its members every generation…outsource memory, and culture withers.” The vibrancy of our culture and the richness of our mental landscapes depends heavily on the extent to which we are able to preserve our ability to engage in meaningful knowledge acquisition and transmission, critical thinking, imagination, and introspective reflection. While there are ways in which the internet and digital technology more broadly facilitates these processes, by and large the over-dependency of humans on such technology weakens or even eliminates them. And it is obvious that humans’ dependency and addiction to platforms like Google, Facebook, and Twitter isn’t simply an accident; it’s actually part of the deliberate system of surveillance capitalism that exploits our instincts, impulses, and behaviors as human beings in order to profit a few major corporations. 

In The Jade Chronicles series, the system of control and dependency that the AI Masters have created is deliberately designed, and not the product of accident. The water supply in the Empire of Khalendar is purposefully contaminated by the AI Masters in order to eliminate human memories and dreams, and to keep humans obedient and docile. The AI Masters have also censored the society heavily, removed textbooks from libraries that might inspire political dissent, and replaced these books with their self-authored propaganda. But there is a further layer of tragedy lurking beneath the surface of this authoritarian world; the tragedy that the society constructed by the AI Masters is imperfect, and destined to fail. The AI Masters believe they are doing a service to humanity by imposing this authoritarian-capitalist system on them, which is supposed to cater to their every need. But all the externalities this society produces – negative effects on the environment, on culture, and on spirituality – make it dangerously precarious.

At the same time, the series arcs towards optimism and hopefulness, by telling the story of rebels who seek to chart a different path for their society. This path is one where technology and machine intelligence no longer controls us, but is once again controlled by us. I think that in order to even be in a position to clearly see this path, and understand how to travel along it, we need to be in a frame of mind that sees beyond the narrow frame of technological determinism. Harvard business professor Shoshana Zuboff has stated that surveillance capitalists have created the strategies that keep us paralyzed, which include a sense of inevitability, helplessness, and resignation. She has remarked that “there can be no exit from processes that are intentionally designed to bypass individual awareness and produce ignorance, especially when these are the very same processes upon which we must depend for effective daily life.” The solution, therefore, lies in reclaiming individual awareness, which is fundamentally, knowledge of the processes that are controlling us. We should also understand that it is neither possible, nor even desirable, to return to a society where digital technology does not exist. But it should be possible, and one of the most important priorities of our society, to reach a point where digital technology is our slave, and not our mast

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For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Friday 12 October 2018

End Of Innocence - spotlight and #Giveaway


End of Innocence
by Romana Drew
Genre: SF
Lenea's brother spends every clear night pointing a telescope at the same stars. When she confronts him, he lets her look through the telescope. A small sliver speck changes course, slows, and merges with a larger silvery spot. 


In that brief moment, her life changes. Her brother spies on space aliens! Soon she learns the aliens have a settlement in the Kenned Valley, and that her boyfriend monitors their communications.

Then he disappears. 

What do they want, and can her world survive?

Just 

before he has to give up and go home broke, Captain Seddry finds theRomana Drew, The End Of 
perfect world. It is rich in ore, has a breathable atmosphere, and it even has a reasonable climate — an ideal place for a new Langon 
colony. The fuzzy natives won't be a problem. They don't have any large weapons or even airplanes, making them too primitive to  find the mining colony hidden away in an isolated valley. Or so he thinks.



I live in California with my husband, and raise baby squirrels for a
wildlife care center. I could go into detail about my background and
education, but that is rather boring. Let me say that I am quiet,
love the outdoors, and never have enough time to do all the things I want to do.



Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!









For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Wednesday 15 February 2017

Drone World by Jim Kochanoff - virtual book tour



Book Genre: Science Fiction/ Young Adult
Publisher: Silver Leaf Books
Release Date: September 1, 2016
Buy Link(s): https://www.amazon.com/Drone-World-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01JDYUSQY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483838069&sr=8-1&keywords=drone+world+Jim+Kochanoff


Book Description:

The novel “Drone World” is set in a futuristic dystopian city like the books of Divergent or Maze Runner. The book’s content is similar to the movies ‘Minority Report’ (predicting crime) meets ‘Logan’s Run’ (authority determines when you die).

This book is topical – it looks at a city where drone technology is common place. Today drones are part of our lives from the military to enforcement to entertainment. Not just outside our windows – everywhere we live, eat, shop and the many forms they take.

Imagine a city with cameras on every corner, monitoring your every move. A world where no crime goes unpunished, no criminal can escape. No place you can hide.

I live in the safest city in the world . . . until I tried to leave it.
Excerpt:
Big mistake. Its circuits fired and it spiraled limply to the ground. Its legs kicked a few times and then its eye went dark. Two enemies down in as many seconds. There was hope for me yet. I looked over at the limp form of the officer.
Why doesn’t your drone,” I pointed to the half man half machine floating silently, “pick up your partner? He could be dead if he doesn’t get any medical attention,” I said. The smaller officer glared at me but it took his attention away from the useless radio.
Drones have to be given direction. They can’t think on their own,” he answered defensively.
Well, your hawk just thought on its own.” I indicated the smoking circuits on the ground. One of its feet stirred slightly.
They have some artificial intelligence, with an innate response to investigate questionable activities.”
Curiosity got it killed,” I replied sarcastically.
Looks like that is going around,” he answered. His intent was not lost on me. His radio sparked to life.
All units to main level. Multiple explosions throughout city. All drones to staging area for assignment. Situation critical.” The remaining hawk drones flew out down the hall, having received their assignment. They went into a vent and must have flown up to the surface. The man-sized drone began to move off when the officer placed his hand on its shoulder.
Stay with us,” he commanded. The drone remained in place. I wondered how it decided what commands to listen to and what commands to ignore. We turned to the left, away from the elevator and towards a set of stairs. The officer tried to pull open the door and immediately pulled back.
It’s hot,” he said to no one in particular and motioned to the drone to go first. The machine reached with its metal hand and pulled the door handle forward. A great rush of heat burst towards us as the fresh air fed the flame. The drone expelled a white foam at the fire, extinguishing it in seconds. Blue smoke replaced the fire and my throat tightened. The officer opened up the side of the drone and pulled out two oxygen masks.
Take it.” He motioned to me. I coughed and slipped it over my mouth. We climbed the stairs, where the sickly smoke made visibility difficult. There were several minutes of climbing before we reached the ground level, one floor higher than where I was held captive. We opened the door to a courtyard and I surveyed the city. I felt sick. There were fires, a huge crater in a street and people were streaming into the park. What happened while I was captured? How could the safest city in the world turn to this? 

Picture
Author Bio:
Jim Kochanoff’s specialty is action/adventure, putting the reader into adrenaline driven stories. His first novel “Men of Extreme Action” is based on the action movie industry and is signed with Toonz Animation of India to be produced as an animated television pilot.

He is the former production manager of the animated children series, “The Hippo Tub Co.” airing on the CBC and created by Canadian musician Anne Murray

He is the Chairman of the Nova Scotia SPCA and uses the proceeds from his children’s book towards this worthy charity. He is Chartered Professional Accountant (CMA) and works for the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness. He has a beautiful wife, Avai, an entertaining daughter named Jaya, and an extremely fast doberman named Lola

Author Links -




For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join Every new subscriber will get a FREEdownload of my fantasy novella 'Dancing With Fate' (If this doesn't arrive within two days just email me at hywelalyn@btinternet.com)

Tuesday 18 October 2016

Saven boxed set - Limited Time Special Price.

Saven Box Set banner

Today is my stop during the Book Blitz for The Saven Series Box Set by Siobhan Davis. For a very limited time you can read the first three books in this special box set collection for only 0.99!

The normal retail price is $6.99/£4.99. Find out why Saven Deception, book one in this Amazon bestselling series, has been shortlisted for the Best Young Adult Book in the 2016 CAP Awards. Over 50,000 copies downloaded in the ten months since publication. Get your copy of the box set on Amazon!

This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 11 till 18 October, you can view the complete blitz schedule here.

Today I'll share an excerpt from this series, as well as details of each book, and there's a great giveaway. You can enter to win a copy of this box set or a paperback copy of Lux Beginnings by Jennifer L Armentrout. You can enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post.

Saven Box SetSaven Box Set (Saven #1, #2 and #2.5)
By Siobhan Davis
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: October 11, 2016

Blurb:
What if you were meant to kill the one you love?

"Recommended to fans of The 5th Wave, Insignia, Across the Universe, and Unwind series." Schuyler Central High School Library

"The Heir to the Lux Series." Dreamland Teenage Fantasy

This box set contains Saven Deception, Saven Disclosure, and Saven Denial.

You can buy the Saven Box Set on Amazon

Books included in this box set:
Saven DeceptionSaven Deception (Saven #1)
Blurb:
THE TRUTH DOESN'T ALWAYS SET YOU FREE

I've fallen hard for an alien, but he's harboring secrets.
Massive secrets that threaten the very essence of humanity.
How can I give him my heart when his race plans on taking my future?


Sadie Owens has been slowly dying inside. Bit by bit, piece by piece, day by day. Trapped in a life she hates, she relies on only one person--herself.

Despised by her family and betrayed by an unscrupulous government, Sadie dreams of a different life. When she is chosen to participate in the government's new social experiment, she is ecstatic at the prospect of spending six months in Thalassic City, the shiny new city under the sea.

Immediately drawn to Logan Chandler, Sadie is captivated by the beautiful boy with the ocean-blue eyes. Logan seems to embody everything that has been forbidden, but he isn't all he appears to be.

Confused over Logan's true intentions and concerned when best friend Jenna starts transforming in front of her eyes, Sadie partners with newcomer Jarod in a bid to uncover the government's real agenda. The truth is more shocking than anything she could ever have imagined.

When Sadie finally understands why the Saven walk among us, will it be too late to save her heart and the human race?

Excerpt From Saven Deception:
"Come, sit," he says, his fingers curling gently around the tips of mine.
I plop down on the beanbag beside him and yelp. 

"You are hurt." He frowns. "Let me take a look."
 He scrunches the edge of my shirt, but I clamp down on his hand. There's no way I'm admitting that it's my butt that's sore, and no way am I ready to let him inspect that part of my anatomy. Yet.
Get you, my inner devil teases.
"I'm fine." I pin him with a "drop it" look.
"You are so stubborn." Shaking his head, he unscrews the cap from his bottle.
"I'm stubborn?" I level an incredulous look his way. "Have you not looked in the mirror recently, dude?"
He laughs and the sound sends warmth flooding through me.
"You've a lovely laugh," I blurt out. Ohmigod! I can't believe I said something so cheesy.
"I do?" He looks amused.
"Yep." I'm resorting to one-word replies now for fear of what else might inadvertently tumble out of my mouth.
He stares intently at me, his fiery eyes penetrating my soul. The cord buzzes with anticipation. I might've forgotten how to breathe again. "You are beautiful, through and through."
With each passing second, my heart pounds faster and faster. He inclines toward me and I move closer. Butterflies are throwing a mad party in the pit of my stomach. Like magnets, we inch closer and closer still. As my pulse throbs, he zeroes in on my lips and his eyes linger there.
I've imagined this moment so many times without ever really believing I'd get to experience it. Now that I'm here, seconds away from my first real kiss, I'm terrified of the strength of my emotion. I never knew it could be like this. That I could feel such a strong connection to a boy; that my body could tremble with such intense desire. And our lips haven't even met yet.
We are a hairsbreadth from one another. I bridge the final distance and close my eyes. His fingers brush my lips and I'm tingly all over. Reopening my eyes, I see the adoration glistening in his gaze. For me.
"Ala beatra." The words roll seductively and respectfully off his tongue.
I've no idea what it means, or what language he's speaking, but it sounds beautiful.
And like a form of worship.
Though it's possible I'm deluding myself.
He closes his eyes and presses his mouth to mine. His touch is feather soft and it unravels me. I kiss him back equally gently and he moans softly. His lips exert more pressure as he draws me in flush with his solid chest. I've never felt this much emotion before. It's almost too much, but at the same time, not enough.
Gaining in confidence, I encircle my arms around his neck and melt into him, savoring the feel of his body as it presses against mine. Angling his head, he extends the kiss, and it grows in intensity and fire. I'm matching him, kiss for kiss, and my need for him is reaching an all-time high. I can't get enough of him. He is everywhere, and yet I need more.


Saven DisclosureSaven Disclosure (Saven #2)
By Siobhan Davis

Blurb:
THE TRUTH CAN'T HIDE FOREVER

To protect Logan, I have no choice but to deceive him.
But I’m not the only one hiding the truth.
Will our love survive all the secrets and lies?


Enemy alien ships crowd the skies over Earth while the world waits with bated breath. The Saven have been exposed, and where once they were abhorred, they are now championed as our greatest ally and our only possible savior.

Logan and Sadie have been separated, and the longer he is gone, the more their love is tested by duty, doubts, and deception.
Sadie and Jarod have infiltrated the highest levels of government, but they are playing a dangerous game. Surrounded by people with conflicting agendas—hell-bent on using her for their own aim—Sadie is confused when the lines between good and evil are blurred. It’s impossible to tell friend from foe, and no one can be trusted.

When the full extent of the experiments taking place in Sector Twenty is disclosed, Sadie can no longer sit back and watch as the lower classes face a horrific fate. Racing to save her loved ones and mankind, she risks her own safety and the love she’s waited a lifetime for to do the right thing.

But no one thought to save her from herself.


Saven Disclosure Graphic 2


Saven SenialSaven Denial (Saven #2.5)
By Siobhan Davis

Blurb:
THE TRUTH HURTS

My mother was right to fear me.
I’m an abomination.
And the world should be very afraid.


Sadie has been kidnapped by the Tor, the vindictive alien race who destroyed Thalassic City. As her past, present, and future collides, her worst nightmare looks set to become her shocking new reality.

A deliberate pawn in leader Griselda’s vengeful game, Sadie is horrified to learn the truth about her heritage and the destiny that’s already been mapped out for her. Refusing to cooperate, she risks paying the ultimate price for her defiance.

Love for Logan is her only motivation to stay alive. Saving him is the only thing that matters—the fate of the world depends upon it. While he may never forgive her, she’s determined to protect him. Until her dying breath.


Saven denial Ax Teaser


SiobhanAbout the Author:
Siobhan Davis writes young adult science fiction fantasy romance books, and she is the author of the Amazon bestselling True Calling and Saven series.

A self-professed teenager forever--at least when it comes to books, music, and films, Siobhan is totally addicted to teen fiction and superhero/blockbuster movies. She loves baking, shoes, bags, makeup, anti-wrinkle cream, anything pink, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, and Robert Pattinson (definitely Team Edward).

Before pursuing a full-time writing career, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in Human Resources over the last twenty years.

She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

You can find and contact Siobhan here:
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google +
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Newsletter
Sample chapters, quotes, reviews and book excerpts are all available to download from the authors website

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Saven Box Set. One winner will receive an e-copy of the Saven Series Boxset by Siobhan Davis and one winner will receive a paperback copy of Lux Beginnings (Obsidian & Onyx) by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Open internationally.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

        


For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join Every new subscriber will get a FREEdownload of my fantasy novella 'Dancing With Fate' (If this doesn't arrive within two days just email me at hywelalyn@btinternet.com)

Monday 22 August 2016

Saven Defiance Release Day, #Giveaway and Review



EXCERPT FROM SAVEN DEFIANCE

The sun shines high from an elevated position in the sky, beating a burning path straight for us. My feet sink into the thick, dense sand of the desert, to the point where my legs throb with the effort involved in walking. Sweat coats my skin like a new outer layer, and my clothes are practically welded to my body at this stage.
The frosty reception—from Haydn—is in direct contrast to the hot, humid climate. He continues to ignore my questions as he guides me toward the ship that has just shimmered into existence in front of us.
It’s as if we share a cloak of invisibility—this ship and I.
“Where’s Logan?” I ask for the umpteenth time, channeling more patience than I ordinarily possess.
Haydn’s response is to tighten his grasp on my arm and clamp his lips shut. I inwardly sigh as I glance around me. Neve is escorting Izzy on my left, and Rylan is guiding a cuffed Axton in front of us. Every so often, Ax peeks over his shoulder at me, a stern frown creasing his forehead.
I’m as confused as he is. I don’t understand why I’m being treated like a common criminal, because the three Saven—whom I thought were my friends—are refusing to talk. “Please, Haydn. Where is he? Is he okay?” My breath huffs out in exasperated spurts at the unrelenting chilly silence.
“Walk ahead of me,” he instructs as we approach the open mouth of the craft. It’s the first time he has spoken since the ominous “Make one false move and I’ll shoot” comment he threw at me when the three Saven first appeared here. Wherever here is, because I’ve no clue how I managed to teleport us safely from Torc or where we landed.
Ax and Izzy are ascending the walkway into the belly of the ship, and I trail behind them. A welcome, familiar face is waiting to greet me at the top of the steps. Fern leans against the railing, her usual sunny features obscured behind a mantle of worry. Spotting me, she brightens for a split second until she takes in my transparent prisoner status.
She skips toward us with purpose. “What the hell?” Piercing Haydn with a murderous glare, she deposits her hands on her slim hips.
“Don’t. Interfere.” He growls out a warning as he pushes past her, hauling me along for the ride.
I shrug my shoulders as I eyeball my friend. “Don’t ask me for an explanation. No one is even speaking to me.”
“This is completely ridiculous, and totally unnecessary,” Fern yells as she stalks behind us like a miniature tornado.
“Babe,” Rylan says, stalling on the steps above us. “Let’s get to the cabin and we’ll clear everything up.”
Haydn snorts and shakes his head. I deliberately impale him with my penetrating gaze, willing him to look at me so he can absorb the full glare of my frustration. But he’s as stubborn as ever, and he pretends not to feel my eyes burning a hole through the side of his skull. As I continue to stare at him—noting the ashen pallor of his skin and how his once shorn hair has grown out, now curling and twisting around his ears and over his neck—I wonder if I’ve ever really known him at all. Or if he has ever truly known me.

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ADVANCE PRAISE FOR SAVEN DEFIANCE

"Everything Siobhan publishes has a touch of breath-taking suspense, complex characters that engage your interest, and new worlds that pique the imagination. Saven Defiance is no different." Goodreads Reviewer

"Siobhan has knocked it out of the park! Saven Defiance has all of the things we love about her writing - action, romance, plot twists, and characters that we are drawn to ... this book is amazing." Goodreads Reviewer

"Siobhan Davis is hands down one of the best YA authors writing today. She creates wonderful characters, amazing worlds, and provides them with solid, entertaining storylines." Goodreads Reviewer

"Saven Defiance has soul-deep romance, heart-pounding action, amazing characters, gut-wrenchingly intense moments, and once you start it you will be drawn into the story so completely ... sleep be damned!" I Have a Book Obsession
           

"Saven Defiance is another incredible notch on the literary belt of Siobhan Davis and her crazy-wicked imagination." Tome Tender


MY REVIEW
I've read all the Saven novels so far and unlike some series they just keep getting better. There are so many revelations in this latest book - unexpected family relationships, power plays, deceptions and intrigue, and the action does not let up.  A real page turner. This really is one of those 'roller coaster' reads where one wonders how on earth Sadie will get out of this one! I have to say Sadie is not my favourite character - which is not to say I don't like her, she has a lot of admirable qualities, although I do find her a little annoying at times.There are so many great, multi-dimensional characters in this series, who are very easy to identify with. Another great plus for me is the world building. There are some fantastic descriptions and the settings really come alive in the minds eye, through Siobahn Davis's skillful  way with words which put the reader right there, in the worlds of her imagination.  The cliff-hanger ending is what I have come to expect from this author and prepares us for yet another layer of intrigue in this hugely enjoyable series.

I can recommend this as a 'must read' for anyone who likes edge of the seat suspensful Scence Fiction/Fantasy and doesn't mind having to wait for the next book!

Five comets from me.


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